The eBay User Profile

Part 1 of 2: The eBay
User Profile

by Jen Cano, eBay Certified Consultant

Ever wonder what the eBay user profile is? I recently got my
hands on a report from eBay about this very subject, and thought I’d pass some
of the highlights on to you. (For the full report, go to www.ebay.com/sellercentral/buyers.pdf.)

So, without further ado…

How Many Are Coming?

eBay has determined that just over one third of all Internet
users (not just shoppers) visit eBay once every month. They also state that
they reach more people in the United States than any other eCommerce property.
What does that mean for you and me?

I can think of a few ways we can seize even greater
opportunities on the Internet. First, with so many shoppers, eBay becomes not
just a place to sell, but a place to be seen and a market to study. If, for
instance, you have an independent website, eBay can become just as important
for building your customer base as search engines are.

Second, since such a large percentage of Internet shoppers
shop on eBay, eBay now represents the perfect place to research and test market
which products might do well on other markets.

This is an opportunity not just to sell a lot of auctions,
but to grow your business.

When Are They Coming?

eBay,s report says that Mondays are the most busy days,
boasting over 16,000 visitors on average, with Sundays at a close second. They
state that a well-timed ten-day auction could include two Mondays, giving you
better visibility than on any other auction schedule.

While these statistics are true for shoppers, they don’t
really tell us anything about buyers. In other words, to make sound selling
decisions, you need to determine when people are buying, and not just shopping
for, your products. A thorough analysis of when buyers are buying would mean
completing research on your particular product and category, using a tool such
as HammerTap’s DeepAnalysis.